Til The End of Time
by Darling Drusilla
Summary: She wasn't special like her sister, but she had more purpose than opening the gates of hell. He was the last of his kind and without purpose, until her met her. Their destiny was each other, the future, the people. xOver with Highlander.
1. Chapter 1

Morose.

That was a pretty good word to describe how she felt right now. A little sullen, a bit depressed, incredibly melancholy. She supposed that she was thankful for her new watcher job. True she was a research girl, and yes she'd even turned one of the library alcoves into her personal bedroom, but as a watcher she had health insurance.

And health insurance meant glasses for reading and using the computer, something she'd been desperately needing. It meant that she could finally get on birth control like she'd been wanting to, as a precautionary measure of course because you never knew who or what you were going to end up doing in this field. And even better, she got her Valium.

Speaking of which, she needed some right now. Because a depressed Dawn wasn't something anyone wanted to see. So she took pills at a time and with every toss of her head felt a bit happier. Well, maybe she felt more detached, yes, detached. And if you were detached you certainly couldn't feel sad about things, or angry, or happy. But everyone always confused her detached smile with a happy one.

She remembered an old proverb she'd seen once in the diary of a Chinese watcher, 'You cannot love without knowing pleasure, have sorrow without knowing happiness. You need to know all of them to know one of them'.

Yeah well, sorrow and her were old friends, and there were a few times when she was genuinely happy, but the only place she'd ever truly had any pleasing experience was in the stacks. Not in a physical way, a pleasant satisfaction really over her discoveries, or her newfound facts, new languages learned. But that was more a sense of satisfaction than anything else.

The big clock in the library chimed and Dawn looked up to see what time it was, adjusting her glasses as she did so. She needed to grab some lunch, maybe take a step outside. Better yet, she was close enough to a city, and most of the slayers were sleeping off the patrol of the previous night. Mind made up, she went to down to the extensive garage and made her way into the city for a bite to eat.

She'd stopped interfering in the lives of everyone around her about a year ago, and ended up the better for it. Now, it was like living with strangers you were related to. Sure you might eat together, or give each other greetings in the hallway, but that was it. Dawn's head was starting to hurt again and her depression was starting to come back, but she was feeling anger more than anything. So she decided against taking a Valium, preferring instead to let herself fume and get angry about everything. Maybe she actually needed a psychiatrist, like they'd suggested. It would get her out of the house, give her something to do.

Dawn faintly wondered if this right here was the life of an american housewife. Drugs, cleaning, working, a family you didn't know but had invested hours of blood sweat and tears into. The offer of support that was never taken, never getting the support you needed.

"Shit." her depression was back. Luckily a resturant was right across the way from her current location, and after finding a place to park, she sat down and popped a few more pills with some lemon water. After a quick consult of the menu and her wallet, she ordered a light salad topped with raspberries, fresh parmigiana, and roast duck. She was actually lucky she arrived when she did, because not a few moments after, the place was flooded. And she felt sorry for some of them, couples and groups of harried secretaries. She didn't feel so sorry for the more overweight businessmen though, or the uppity looking women with too many pearls. But then he entered.

Tall, slim, completely hidden under a baggy cream colored sweater and some jeans. He had dark features and long dark hair, darker and curlier than her own. A trenchcoat was thrown over his arm and a bit of stubble littered his chin. He looked annoyed and a bit disappointed at the lack of tables, but he also looked as though he was willing to wait. But Dawn felt something from him. She knew he was older than he looked, he also had what could be called 'a touch of destiny' in him, to quote her second favorite hottie-fest movie (her favorite was Once upon a Time in Mexico). She needed him though, badly. Grabbing the nearest waiter, she smiled sweetly at him.

"I'm sorry, but my boyfriend just walked in and I don't think he saw me. Older man, cream sweater? Could you be a dear and grab him for me?"

The waiter was disappointed, but did as told, and Dawn was impressed when Sweater didn't look surprised. His gait was confident, and sure. She knew that he was a warrior, even if no one else did. Then again, she was accustomed to dealing with centuries old vampires and demons and slayers. Noticing this sort of thing was part of staying alive, warriors were easy to spot after a while.

"Ah, darling," he spoke happily as he leaned in for a kiss. Not only was his voice something else with his romantic Scottish brogue, but he could kiss. When he pulled away she sat there in a stunned, but happy, daze. Very faintly she could hear him order and ask for her meal to be held until his was ready.

"I should invite people to sit at my table more often," she said when she finally could speak again.

"I should hope you don't, what would people say my dear?" his tone was teasing, though Dawn was praying that the joking manner wasn't a farce. "In all seriousness though, thank you. I'm so used to waiting an hour just to get lunch here. But on the plus side, I have the company of a lovely young woman, and I get to eat on time."

"You're just saying that," she blushed, looking into her water. Her glasses slipped a little and she reached up to readjust them, noticing the layers of dust on her clothes. "Ungh, I know you were just saying that now, I'm covered in dust and I probably look like a complete mess."

"Oh I don't know, the busboys have been staring at you whenever they can," he took a sip of his water. "And I know a lust filled look when I see one."

A blsuhing Dawn was saved by the arrival of their food, though Methos hadn't ordered a steak at all, rather a simple soup and sandwich combo with a pint of lager. An iced tea was set down by her salad and the man smiled.

"Yo were out of water. I hope I ordered the right thing?"

"Thank you actually, I was sort of waiting for someone to ask me about my drink, by-product of living in America I guess."

"I lived over there for a time," he admitted. "I had an antiques shop in Washington before I became a history teacher." of course, he wouldn't tell her that he'd been through most of the battles he taught and sold most of his personal junk from the years past.

"Yeah? I grew up in L.A. Then my mother and sister and I lived in Sunnydale until it fell in on itself."

"Sunnydale? Mm, I heard they fell into a sinkhole." He could see the lie in her eyes, she knew it wasn't a sinkhole just as he knew. "Then again, that's what lots of people call Hellmouths." She saw her choke on her food and he wondered what had possessed him to say something like that. Especially when she looked up at him suspiciously. She must attended the slayer school on the city outskirts. "Relax, I'm no demon or vampire."

"warlock?" she asked suspiciously. She had the worst luck.

"No."

"Werewolf?" He'd make a fine werewolf.

"No," he laughed.

"Demon hunter?"

"No."

"You aren't an Incubus are you?"

"I've been accused of it, but no."

Dawn pursed her lips. There was something about he, he wasn't normal, then agin neither was she. But something about him...

"Give up?" Why was he spilling everything so easily? Why did he want her to know all of this about him?

"No!" she pouted. "I'll figure it out one day mister...what is your name by the way?"

"Ha! Duncan MacLeod, of the clan MacLeod." He took her hand into his and laid a soft kiss upon the skin, the look in his eyes perfectly aware of the heat coursing through her body and the tingles where his skin touched hers.

"Dawn Summers," she got out eventually.

"I've heard of you," and dawn resisted the urge to roll her eyes, this meant he knew of her sister, she should hve known- "Joe and Adam are constantly praising your work. They're watchers." Dawn blinked in surprise. Giles had said something about her being in the newsletter but...well now she was seriously stumped! How did he know watchers?

"Do you," she hesitated. "Could we meet for coffee maybe?"

"I'd like that." Her reached into his pocket and pulled his wallet out as he fished about for a business card, and handed it over. Duncan MacLeod, Antiques Dealer. Below it was the standard contact information, business hours, location, what-have-you. "Don't worry about the hour, Adam and Joe usually have me at the bar enjoying a drink. And I'd like to hear your voice when I'm with those two old men."

Dawn laughed, knowing how old watchers could get, swapping stories about their slayers and competing with their knowledge of the trivial and arcane. She reached into her purse and fished out her own business card. Dawn Summers, Watcher. Though her card lacked hours and location, everyone had decided that it was just too silly to try and mark their locations, they were always changing.

"That's my cell, so you're guaranteed to get me." And not the rest of the house.

"I'll be sure to call," he glanced at his watch and smiled ruefully. "I have to get back, Adam was supposed to drop in with a new shipment. If I'm not there he'll break in and draw smiley faces all over my things."

Dawn couldn't help the giggle that escaped as he spoke before mawing down his sandwich and drinking his soup quickly. Smiling at her, he wiped his mouth and stood up before leaning in to kiss her on the cheek.

"Remember our wedding shower is in a week Muffintoes."

"Wouldn't forget it for the world, Cuddlebunny."

Dawn noticed then, that he'd paid for the bill during the conversation. Well, if he was an evil guy, he at least had manners. Smiling to herself, she got up and headed back to Slayer Central, truly happy.


	2. Chapter 2

Duncan was in a haze of love. He'd been in love enough times to know what this was, and he wasn't afraid to admit it. Of course, it was causing a few problems in his daily life. He wasn't focusing when he taught class at the university, Only too often had Joe and Methos decided on something without consulting him -they swore they did-, and in the four days since they parted he hadn't stopped thinking about her.

They'd communicated via telephone a few times, Dawn calling rather late into the night when the girls were out and about while he called early in the morning before his classes and when the slayers were guaranteed to be asleep. They met for coffee almost everyday around noon, excluding the first day they met, and every meeting had been sealed with a kiss.

She sat across from him now, sipping her coffee as she poured over an ancient text and translated it onto a legal pad. Her tight bun had loosened and wisps of chocolate silk were moving in the light breeze of their streetside cafe, oval glasses were sliding down a pert nose that was placed just perfectly above a set of rosy lips. Dawn had a bit of a pin-up build, tiny waist, nips hips and chest. Back in his day they would have called her looks proper for bearing children, and he wondered faintly what she would be like as a mother.

But he couldn't have children. And if he truly wanted a relationship with this young woman -gods willing- he'd have to fess up eventually, spill everything about his true condition. He doubted it would be too out of the normal though for her, but people always ended up a little bitter about dating immortals.

"Ah, my brain is killing me from all this work," she complained, sitting up and rubbing her neck. "You don't happen to have the number of a good masseuse do you?"

He smiled and moved his chair beside her, moving his hands to her shoulders and starting to work on the muscles there. Soon enough she was a mass of goo under his fingers, humming in delight as he worked his magic. But, he could feel himself being watched, and while he couldn't feel an immortal, that didn't rule out hunters...or slayers.

"Would you like to go for a movie?" he asked quite suddenly. He could see the cogs in her brain working, nighttime belonged to her sister and she was afraid of being caught. "We could go to a daytime show, Sunday around three of four? Maybe catch a bite afterward?"

He saw determination flash in her eyes and he wondered at the oddity of the situation. He'd gone through many relationships where they'd used the shadows of night to hide, but never had he hidden a relationship in the light of day. Then again, he'd never dealt with a nocturnal threat before.

"I'd like that very much."

~!~

Duncan lamented the poor quality of movies these days. The same stories, better graphics, different soundtracks. Dawn was sitting next to him, leaning on his shoulder as she tried not to fall asleep. Cracking a smile, the highlander wondered if she was that bored with the movie or if she just wasn't getting enough sleep. Probably a mix of both.

He nudged her slightly, breaking her out of the dream and smiled, asking if she wanted to leave. She nodded shyly and the two got up and left the building. Unfortunately, night had fallen sometime during the boring movie and Dawn was acting very jumpy. He walked with her to his car and opened the door, intent on continuing this date and making the petite woman feel more relaxed; She shouldn't fear having a social life.

"how do you feel about Chinese?" he asked. "I know a nice place around the way."

"I'm not a big fan of Chinese, too many bad memories associated with it. And every time we'd order in something would attack the house." Dawn smile was a bit wistful, nod doubt remember a simpler time.

"Ah, I know, Italian."

Dawn smiled a shy smile. "I haven't had much Italian past what comes in a box or a can."

"All the more reason for me to take you to Antonio's. They have some of the best pizza I've ever tasted."

Dawn couldn't help the giggle that came from her lips. Despite looking older than Angel, and despite the fact that he just might be older than Angel, he acted a bit like a schoolboy, and he didn't treat her like a little kid. He treated her like an equal, and while she hadn't found out exactly what he was, she knew that she could trust him.

And more, she hadn't taken a Valium since she met him. Wait until her psychiatrist heard about this, he'd be thrilled for her. Hell, she was thrilled for herself.

They were walking into Antonio's before she even knew it, and the smell of warm bread and tomatoes hit her like a wave. It was a comfortable setting, people were laughing by the bar and tables were full of happy families, popular music played from speakers and idle chatter echoed in the small brick building. They were seated by a girl from one of Duncan's classes, who took their orders quickly and with a smile, bringing their drinks almost immediately.

"I come here with some of my students for study sessions, though most of the time it turns into a gathering of good friends."

"You sound like a proud father," she giggled.

"I suppose they are sort of like my children. I can't have my own anyways," he admitted. Perhaps the best way to break the news of his immortality would be to ease her into it.

"You can't?" Dawn asked. She was sympathetic and maybe a little understanding as well. "I'm so sorry, is it because of...genetics or?"

"More a condition of my species," he smiled grimly. "But, like you said, I'm able to have all the children I want as a teacher."

"I've never really seen myself as a mother, even when I was little. But, that might be because of my own 'condition'. Maybe it's fate hm?"

"Maybe," Duncan smiled back at her.

They continued their idle chatter over the simple dinner, a few of Duncan's slightly buzzed students coming over to meet their teacher's girlfriend or ask for help even. But all through the meal, Duncan continued to feel watched. He decided to point out any other students in the room, using that as an excuse to see who was watching him. But, she seemed to have spotted the problem before him, shrinking into her seat and hiding her face with her hair.

"Oh my, god. Willow and Kennedy are over by the bar."

"Relax, or they'll come over here. They've been following us since our third coffee date," Duncan admitted, taking a small sip from his beer. "But if you really want to get out of here I can get Mary Alice to cause a ruckus."

Dawn shook her head. "No, I want to have a real date for once. I don't want to have to hide, and if they come over, well, I guess we'll just talk to them won't we?"

Duncan reached across the table for her hand, "I'm glad you aren't ashamed of me."

"You? Are you kidding? In the five days since we've met...I've been amazingly happy. I've been taking _Valium_ for the last five months, five months, just so I can smile at everyone and seem like my old self, and no one has even noticed that there's empty pill bottles around, or that I've moved into the library!" she took a deep breath and gave him a sheepish, unsure smile. "You think I'm crazy and stalkerish now, don't you?"

"Hm, no. I don't actually. I guess you could, you helped me find my own smile." He motioned for Mary Alice to come back over and ordered himself another drink before continuing. "But let's talk about happier things, like you. Any thoughts about school?"

"Not really," she said with a sad shake of her head. "I'll probably go through Watcher training, Giles wants me to travel around and meet all of his old watcher buddies and learn from them, and then meet all their old watcher buddies and so on and so forth until I come back covered from head to toe in tweed."

He laughed at the idea, especially since she'd gone very anti-tweed for their date. Her hair was down, the first time he'd ever seen it in any style but a bun, and she wore a denim skirt in soft blue, with a pink tank top and a white sweater to keep the chill off. She looked young dressed like that, but beautiful and pure. And to tell the truth he felt a bit bad dating someone so young. Though it would be hard for him to find someone older.

"Have you looked Joe and Adam up yet?" he asked. Hoping she had, and hoping she'd figured the immortality bit out for herself. The two branches were linked after all.

"Do you have any idea how many Josephs, Joes, Jos, and Adams there are in our Watcher directory?"

"Sorry," Duncan laughed. "I'll introduce them to you one day. You'd get along with Me-Adam." He tried to cover his slip, but she'd caught it, and the look in her eyes told him that it was filed away, just waiting for more information. All of that was turned suddenly unimportant though when he saw the redhead and her female companion walking their way. Dawn saw them as well and cringed a bit, she was becoming uncomfortable fast, and Duncan really didn't like seeing her as such.

"We're holding an open campus day next Thursday if you'd like to come by," he spoke loudly as the two older women got very close. "If you'd like you can even sit in on one of my classes, learn a bit about...what are we learning about right then?"

Dawn giggled, despite the proximity of the two, and filled in the rest for him. "You're covering the Battle of Dundee, remember? You had me translating scripts for you yesterday even though you speak Gaelic."

"What can I say, you're faster at it than me." It was all a lie, but it was making her relax and the redhead didn't suspect a thing about his knowledge of the supernatural. All she knew was he was a teacher and dating Dawn.

"Dawnie!" the redhead cried out with false surprise. "What are you doing here? Who's this?" Not who's you're friend, but who's the threat.

"Uh, Willow, fancy meeting you here...This is Duncan, he's a local history teacher." She was fidgeting, so Duncan hooked his ankle around hers beneath the table. Surprisingly she calmed down. "Duncan, this is one of my sister's, Willow...that's Kennedy"

"It's a pleasure to meet you Willow," he said, extending his hand. The woman behind her moved in a protective manner, Kennedy, Dawn had said. No love lost there. "Would you like to join us? Our pizza hasn't arrived yet."

"We'd love to," Willow cheered happily, moving to sit by Dawn. But his little librarian was faster and already standing. "Dawnie?"

"You and Kennedy can sit together while Duncan and I sit together and finish our discussion." She was already beside him when she finished her sentence, No was not an answer on this. "So there's really an open campus day?"

"Yes, I mean, technically speaking you can tour the campus at anytime, but Thursday is an excuse for you to come and see me in my natural environment."

"Oh yes, because talking about old stuff is much different than selling old stuff."

Duncan noticed some things during their two hour dinner. Willow and Kennedy were being thoroughly ignored by his date when they tried talking to her, and they didn't even try to talk to him. He wasn't surprised about the second one as most families generally disliked it when he came around to court their girls, but the first one struck him as very odd. Dawn seemed the type to wait for an opinion on a boy before continuing to see him. Then again, she was something entirely different wasn't she?

"It's getting late," Duncan said when Dawn yawned for the fifth time.

"I'm fine," she insisted. "I want to keep talking about-"

"Dawn," he couldn't help the smile that came out, despite his tone. He was trying to be stern, really he was, but she just looked so adorable. "Let me take you home."

Surprisingly, Willow actually spoke to Duncan.

"That would be majorly of the bad," she said, voice full of worry. "Buffy's on a bit of a warpath right now, I think if you showed up it would just create problems for Dawn."

"Who cares? She shouldn't be sneaking around anyways," Kennedy sniped, glaring at the table.

"I'm sure there's a very good reason for it," Willow interjected before anyone could speak up. "And when we get home, I'll sit down with Dawn and we'll talk about it. Buffy thinks you're at the city library right now trying to see if there was anything we didn't have." She looked at Duncan for a second before nodding in a sort of approving way. "So, when we get home, you'll lament how you couldn't find anything useful, but you're going to check the University library on Thursday with me."

Duncan shot a look at Dawn and found her elated over the prospect of having someone to act as her Watcher instead of the other way around. So, after a few moment of Willow properly introducing herself and talking with Duncan, the redhead actually forced Dawn out of a restaurant and over to a car. A beaten little bug that was no doubt well loved. It had chips of yellow paint on it, that sort of blended in with the rust spots, and rainbow stickers beside old pagan symbols.

"So, I guess I'll see you Thursday?" Dawn asked shyly. Kennedy was in the backseat, looking annoyed while Willow looked like a proud mother. He could practically see the wedding plans in her head.

"Yeah, Just go to the front desk, ask for me, they'll send you over to my primary class if you show up around eight."

A soft kiss goodnight was interrupted by a yelling slayer and a shushing witch, making the immortal smile a little into the lips of his lover.


	3. Chapter 3

When Duncan said Primary Class, she didn't think he was teaching third and fourth graders. But within an hour she'd fallen in love with them. They were so sweet and energetic, and he was a great teacher, his student's were running about doing activities and reenacting famous bouts of history. Right now they were outside learning about King Henry VIII and a little boy was playing king. He was making silly laws and everyone was playing along with it, giggling and cheering as guards arrested people and sharks terrorized the town. She still didn't know where the sharks came from, but the king commanded it.

"Alright! New law everyone!" Duncan shouted in a loud clear voice, freezing every little child in their spot. "Your majesty, what law do you declare now?"

"I declare...Recess!"

A chorus of cheers came up and Duncan put on a thoughtful face. Children began to plead and beg and still he debated, and then the bell rang, letting the children leave anyways.

"Help me clean this up?" he asked with a smile.

"Sure thing. I thought you only taught college kids though." She bent down to pick up a ball, glad she'd worn a sensible black skirt that went past the knee and a soft blue dress shirt. Her white sweater was on over the top, unbuttoned after all of the running about.

"No, well, for a while I did. Now I'm broadening my horizons, learning a few new skills," He tossed a ball into the equipment room, letting out a satisfied smirk when he heard the lid to the ball pin slam closed.

"I see. I looked into the watcher records after our dinner," Dawn said carefully. What she'd found hadn't been what she was expecting. Then again, finding out that the branch of watchers you worked for was a subgroup of a far bigger organization, well, it was disconcerting to say the least. All she'd really had to do was click the homepage and enter her ID number. In seconds she was assaulted by dozens of pop-up messages wondering what she wanted, who was giving her trouble, a few even asked why a Slayer Leaf was in the room at all.

So she dropped Duncan's name and almost everyone disappeared. Only two text boxes remained on screen, one Joe Dawson and one Adam Pierson. As they talked to her, exchanging jokes and asking how Duncan (or as they called him "Mac") was, she browsed through the site, discovering that it was a bit like Facebook for Watchers. Profiles and current projects and contact information. It was amazing!

And she discovered what exactly Duncan was within seconds.

_APierson: So has the boyscout died defending your honor yet?_

_DSummers: ...okay, I'm not familiar with your lingo over here, vampires are our business remember? What are you talking about?_

And so she found out. Duncan was looking at her with a wondering expression, a little bit of hope in the back of his eyes and worry on his face.

"I have to admit, your boys actually stuck to the term 'Watcher', maybe we should change our name to Trainers or Guides or something...." She was cut off by Duncan's relieved laughter as he walked over and wrapped an arm around her. "what? I'm trying to be...oh what's the word..."

"Never mind the word. Are you sure you're okay with it?"

"Of course I am," she pouted, leaning into his arm as they walked to his next classroom. "I read up on your history, which Joe and Adam were only too happy to produce for me by the way. You aren't evil and you haven't tried to take over the world or release a horrible virus on humanity. The way I see it you're a good guy. Although, that's probably why they call you the boyscout isn't it?"

He let out a groan before complaining about his friends and promising to have words with them. Dawn just laughed it off and continued to follow him into the classroom. And inside, were most if not all of the people she saw last week. They greeted her, and a few congratulated Duncan while several young women gave her the stink-eye. And for the next few hours, while Duncan covered the battle of Dundee, Dawn sat and took a few notes of her own when she wasn't handing out papers or entering grades.

She liked teaching and maybe, just maybe, she could go and become a teacher. Maybe she could go back to California and teach a class full of little kids, someplace up north in the country. Where the only thing to worry about were cows and the occasional mountain lion or coyote. That sounded nice, have a nice little cottage over looking a lake, a few pines and oaks surrounding the place. Maybe a willow tree in the backyard with a patio underneath and a pool beside it.

"You look pensive." Dawn jolted out of her Daydream, which had unsurprisingly featured Duncan as a primary character, her family only coming around for the holidays. The classroom was empty now and Dawn blushed before answering.

"Just, thinking about the impossible."

"There's very little that's actually impossible," Duncan replied, taking off his tie and robes. Technically speaking it was his 'gown' and told everyone what he taught and what degrees he had and if he was part of the faculty or a student.

"This is pretty impossible. Keys can't have kids." He got a confused look on his face, so she laughed and told him what she meant. "I'm not exactly human. I'm the vessel for a key to the gates of hell. There was the hell god, and she wanted to use the Key...me, to open a path for her to go home, so these monks took some of my sister's blood and made the body you see before you. I guess my actual appearance is a great ball of green light."

"So, the Dawn I know..." His voice wasn't accusing, but it was a bit suspicious.

"I have, 19 years worth of memories stored away in my head." She looked him dead in the eye. "I cry, I bleed, I love and I hate. I'm just as real as you or any student in this place. Until I found out about being a key I thought I was a normal girl with a dad who ran out, a loving mom, and a sister who was always gone."

Before she knew it she was in the Scotsman's arms, breathing in the smell of his cologne and his skin. His stubble was tickling her skin as his lips kissed along her jawbone. Her breath caught and she tried to pull him in for a real kiss, but he was stronger and pulled back, a brilliant smile on his face.

"Come on, we'll head over to the shop. I'm not supposed to be kissing attractive young women on school grounds."

Dawn had only seen Duncan's car during the nighttime really, he usually walked to their meeting places, and the one time she did ride in his car she'd been to busy thinking about their upcoming date to notice anything except leather seats and a dark color. But in the daylight she could see that he enjoyed having all of his leftover money from his previous lives.

"That's the car from James Bond!" Dawn cried out. "Xander was crying for days about never being able to own one."

"It's called and Aston Martin, and this is a DBS V12. I've had some older models for a while, but I decided to spoil myself when this girl came out. Well? Get in before it rains or your sister comes through."

Dawn liked the DBS V12, she didn't really care what the name of the car was in reality, but she knew she liked it. It made her feel sexy to ride in it with her handsome boyfriend while Indie rock played and the streets passed by in a blur. They rode around for a few hours really, enjoying each other's company and talking about their days apart. Although, at a certain point, they sort of stopped talking and started touching.

Just a bit of hand holding as they drove through city streets, and progressively more until they weren't even in London anymore. Instead they were somewhere in the country making out like a couple of teenagers. His years on Earth had definitely taught him a few things in the art of love, and she just knew that she was forever spoiled for any other man.

His mouth on her skin was hot and drew so very many sensation out of her body that she almost didn't know what to do with herself. His hands were so strong and gentle and she really couldn't have thought about anything but him if she wanted to. Their tongues tangled as hands traced along muscle and skin, under shirts and sweaters. His hands caressed her exposed thighs, skirt bunched up around her waist as she sat on his lap.

Tweedledee

Tweedledee

Tweedledee

Dawn clenched her fists, that was Willow, and usually that meant something important, but by the PTB, this had better be VERY important. She didn't move from her spot, she just reached into the back for her bag, granting herself a proud little smile when she felt a certain part of her highlanders anatomy against her thigh. She was looking forward to that.

"Hello!" she bit into the phone.

"_Dawn, I don't know where you are but you need to come home now!"_ Willow's voice was panicking and The tone wiped all thought's from the girls face.

"What's wrong?" Dawn asked.

"_It's Buffy, she walked in on me and Kennedy arguing about you and Duncan and...I've been trying really hard to convince her he's just one of the university teachers."_

Dawn's eye quite literally twitched before she spoke again. "I'm going to kill you girlfriend Willow, so I suggest you start looking for a new one."

"_We can do it together,"_ Willow grumbled back. _"A bonding thing. Now hurry back before Buffy starts calling every MacLeod in Britain."_

Dawn hung op the phone and extracted her self from Duncan's lap, who happened to be smiling that knowing smile of his.

"It had to happen sooner or later Dawn," he started the car. "May as well face it now, and on the upside, as long as she leaves my head on my body, I'll always come back to you."

"Don't even joke about that sort of thing," Dawn sighed. But he was right, he'd always come back, assuming her stupid sister didn't scare him off. And then she thought a bit more about what he said. Dawnie, the way he said it was something special. It was romantic and he spoke like she was something to be cherished.

"You know, looking at it from her point of view, I come off as a dirty old man stealing her baby sister away."

"Oh puh-lease!" Dawn scoffed. "She dated Angelus! Yeah! You swerved I saw it! You know who Angelus is, well he got himself cursed to have a soul, and knowing who and what he was she still dated him."

"She dated the Scourge?" Duncan asked in disbelief.

"Oh she did more than date, and Angel wasn't the only one!" She continued, her worry and fear replaced by rage and indignation. "She dated Spike too! The Slayer of Slayers! I mean, I liked Spike, he was cool, and he actually loved her, but as far as I see it she has no right to judge me and you because that would be downright hypocritical!" Duncan was nodding politely in the driver's seat, and Dawn fixed him a glare. He glanced over for a mere second before keeping on the road. "Duncan..."

"What?" he asked, a bit worried.

"...you're a great guy." He sentence wasn't what she wanted to say, nor was it what he was expecting. "And I really hope my sister doesn't scare you off."

Duncan reached over for her hand and brought it to his lips, careful to keep his eyes on the road. "I already told you she wouldn't."


	4. Chapter 4

When Xander saw the car of his dreams pull up in the driveway, he let out a long whistle. It was perfect and shiny and well cared for. And he knew for a fact that paint jobs like _That _were custom. It was free of stickers and scratches and dirt. It was, in a word, Perfection.

And Dawn was getting out of it with several folders. Was this the person Dawn had been sneaking out to see every other day? Granted she hadn't exactly been sneaking, but she hadn't been very loose with her information either. Buffy was behind him ranting about the very fact, but she hadn't caught that a car had pulled up in the driveway. Xander kept watching through the window as Dawn walked around to the driver's side of the door and leaned in, presumably to kiss said driver.

And after several moments that cemented Dawn and the driver were in fact kissing, he watched the girl he considered a little sister walk away and enter the house. And he watched the car of his dreams drive away at a mouthwatering speed. Dawn was going to have to descibe every detail of that car...and it's driver.

The door to the library opened and Dawn walked in wearing glasses. What the heck? When did she get glasses? He'd ask her about that later, after he found out what she'd been doing. Which Buffy was asking about right now. He knew that Buffy worried about her sister, but the tone she used was usually the wrong one, and if Willow had been covering for Dawn, then Xander didn't doubt this guy must have been pretty trustworthy. Then again, they'd all been wrong at least once before.

"I told you, I went to the University. I told you I was going this morning and I told you yesterday and all day the day before."

"Then why were you so late getting home?" Buffy asked, still a bit furious. "And how'd you get home?"

"Prof. MacLeod was getting me started in applying, things ran a bit late so he gave me a ride home," as she spoke Dawn climbed the stairs to the upper level of the library and started pulling things off of shelves. Only after she had all her books did she come back down.

"Applying...for college? And why was he helping you get in?" Buffy asked.

"Actually, they call it university over here," Dawn corrected, pushing her glasses up. "And yes, school. Prof. McLeod was helping me because he needs an assistant in his history class and I need a place to do my work in silence."

Buffy seemed a bit torn about the news she was receiving. But if Dawn wanted to go to college and meet normal guys her own age, why shouldn't she? Granted, she was dating a guy who was older than her by a few decades, but there wasn't a person in the room hadn't done the same thing at least once. Xander wasn't about to bring that into question though, maybe later he'd have a chat with Dawn over this. Find out if he could catch a ride in the Aston Martin while talking with the professor about his intentions with the girl.

"Well," Xander finlly spoke up. "I think it's a good idea. I mean, we can't live off of this our whole lives."

"Mr. Harris has a point," giles spoke up. "The girls will need educations eventually. And a normal interaction with the public on a regular basis will keep us grounded. Which profession were you thinking about exactly?"

Xander's eye widened just a bit as he realized that Giles knew. And not only did Giles know, Giles was covering for Dawn! This was all going to blow up in their faces one day, but hopefully it would be after the man had proven to be good and wholesome and found a way to ingratiate himself with Buffy.

"I'm thinking about teaching. Prof. MacLeod teaches some younger kids, so I got to help out earlier today, and I think I'm in love." She was in love alright, she hadn't really stopped smiling since she got into the room. "There's this one little girl Kassidy, she's so sweet! And Miranda and Cayden and Nigel, they're just the the most fun! I mean, they're sort of disruptive and cause a bit of trouble, but they're just so bright..."

The files and folders Dawn had brought in were spread across one of the tables. Dawn's purse was open and her personal information was being written onto the papers for acceptance. Dictionary's and thesaurus' were opened while Dawn looked up information on Watcher's working at the University and worked on getting some contacts.

"Hey uh, Buffster, maybe we should let Dawn wok on getting her application's all done?" Xander suggested.

"Yeah," Willow enthused. "I can help her fill out her forms and write her essay, get all her bases coved, remember when I helped you?"

Xander could see the look of fear on Buffy's face at the mention of forms and applications and he almost laughed, she really was a fighter more than anything else. She mumbled something about training and patrol, leaving the library with a look on her face that guaranteed the matter wasn't over. Now that it was just Dawn, Willow, Giles and Himself, Xander took the opportunity to approach Dawn about this guy.

"So, what's his name?"

The young girl blushed before answer very quietly. "Duncan, but everything I said about him is true! He's an amazing teacher, and he's so kind and wonderful, and I do want to go to school and become a teacher!"

"I'm sorry," Giles intterupted. "Did you say...Duncan MaLeod?"

"Yeah," Dawn answered a little wary.

Giles smiled a happy smile then, obviously satisfied and assured. "I think all of our worries are completely unfounded then."

"Just like that?" Xander asked, surprised.

"No background checks or..."

Giles only laughed. "My no, Duncan's a good man, I met him some years ago in Paris, charming to be sure, and a bit of a ladies man. But he's loyal and I trust him with my life. If you'd like Dawn I can come with you on your interview."

Dawn giggled and Willow looked a bit more sure of herself now that she saw Giles was happy with the man entering their lives. As for Xander, well, anyone who drove the bond car couldn't be bad, because James Bond was definitely of the good. "I think I'd like to come help you...move in...to your dorm room, get you all situated."

"Oh but Xander," Willow said, smiling. "All the dorms are full by this time. Dawnie will have to just get her own place."

Dawn looked up and blinked at them all. She looked confused, like, beyond confused. That either meant she'd been too busy filling out her forms...no, she'd just been too busy filling out forms. Willow smiled before sitting down next to Dawn and filling her in while Giles continued Dawn's efforts of contacting the workers.

"I'm going to go make sandwiches," Xander said finally before walking out of the room to do just that. If the research group was really going to get into this -which they always did- they'd need to be reminded to eat. Even if it was forced down their throats.


	5. Chapter 5

Duncan arrived at Dawn's new loft apartment just as her sister drove away apparently. He also arrived in time to help his girlfriend unpack her belongings and meet a man with one eye.

His name was Alexander Harris, and he'd apparently been a friend of Big Sister's since they'd met over a decade ago. He was sans one eye, but he didn't seem to let that affect him, preferring to joke around more than anything else. He had a bit of a problem with depth perception, but not so much as to make him a liability. When Dawn approached from his blindside, she made sure to stomp or talk loudly as she did so.

Only after Xander -as her preferred to be called- made a comment about the poor quality of wood used in Dawn's furniture did Duncan decide that he was going to replace most -if nt all- of it. Starting with the bed. She was much too old for a twin bed and there was hardly any room on it for couple activities. Her TV was much too small as well, and the furniture they'd given her was a hand-me-down several times over. Besides which the pattern was horrible. He was hardly satisfied with the number of blankets and sweaters she had, England was cold, Scotland was colder, and if she was going with him to Dundee then she was certainly going to need some things.

"-man?" duncan turned to see Xander watching him with some amusement and concern.

"Sorry, I zoned out for a minute. Thinking of some housewarming gifts for her."

"Ah," xander nodded. Well, she likes purple. And we're planning a housewarming party for her once she gets all unpacked. So if you'd like to _come by_ and welcome your _new assistant_ let us know."

Duncan let out a laugh. The boy was smarter than he looked and obviously understood that Dawn and himself were more than co-workers. Of course, technically speaking he was Dawn's supervisor as she worked towards credits. But the fact remained that Xander knew and had the forethought to tell Duncan when to make himself scarce.

"Well then Mr. Harris, thank you for inviting me. And for accepting me."

The cyclops shrugged. "We've all dated people a few centuries older than us, so what's a few decades?." he got a somber look on his face, grief and pain flashing through his eye. Obviously he'd more than dated someone older, he'd loved her, and she'd probably been taken from him.

"I hate to say it gets better with time," Duncan said slowly. "Because really it doesn't it aches and burns and every time someone with the same name comes around you're reminded all over again. But I wish you luck son."

Xander blinked a few times, the smallest trickle of a tear coming out. "Thanks, I've never heard it put that way before."

"...would you be offended if I asked her name?"

"Anya, well, first it was Aud, then Anyanka, then she was Anya Jenkins-soon-to-be-Harris. She was my An."He shook his head sadly. "All I can ever hope for is that we meet again in the afterlife. Under preferable circumstances."

"Of course," Duncan smiled, noting the levity Xander brough into the situation. Dawn walked into the room then, having gone down to the car to grab her purse.

"Hey you two! Have you been bonding?"

"Of course, we're all about the bromance," Xander nodded.

"The what?" Duncan asked with a laugh.

"Never mind, it's a stupid jock thing, it's not bonding anymore, it's bromance."

"Well it sounds boring," Dawn scoffed. "Anyways, while I was out I got a call from Buffy, she's coming by later tonight to make sure the place is secure. Which considering it's a few hundred years old she'll totally freak out and demand I move back in."

"Just have Willow cast a few spells to keep demons out," Xander shrugged. It'll keep Buffy out of your hair."

"Oh yeah, and vamps can only get in if invited."

Duncan watched their interaction and wondered. How could they be so nonchalant about things? Granted they were used to mostly demons breaking in, but what about humans? And he didn't want to think about immortals like Amanda, who knew every trick in the damn book.

"You're getting an alarm system. And a deadbolt." Both of the youths turned to stare at him incredulously. So he sighed and continued, pointing out that they had in fact forgotten about humans. "You're a young woman in London," he explained. "Any one human could come in and grab you, regardless of anti-demon spells. I can't be with you every night to protect you either, so I'm going to call in a few favors and get you safe."

He didn't mention her new furniture, nor would he until it was all in her house.

"You know Dawn, I think yo made the best choice out of all of us," Xander eventually said with an approving nod. "None of us ever really thought about humans. We're too used to the supernatural trying to bust down our door."

It was close to dark when Xander eventually left the two in Dawn's little studio apartment, and the couple was now sprawled on a very lumpy couch. Dawn was sleeping soundly on his chest while Duncan ran his fingers through her hair, drifting off into his own world of sleep.

Duncan awoke with a start when he felt the buzz of an immortal nearby. And somehow, Dawn felt it too, already wide awake and chewing her lip in worry. Giving her a nudge, she removed herself from him and he got up, putting on his shoes before walking over to get his trench coat and the katana hidden within. Only after grabbing it did he walk over to the window to see what was waiting for him. It was a rather burly man with no real description, but his cocky attitude and the way he moved proved him to be rather new to the game. Duncan felt truly sorry to have to do this, but it had to be done, especially if the newborn downstairs was already taking heads.

"Dawn, please stay in the house? I don't want him to see you."

"I'll be watching from the window," she replied.

It was the best he could hope for he supposed. And with that he went downstairs to end the life of a fool.


	6. Chapter 6

She hadn't stayed in the apartment. She'd gone down to him immidiatly after the lightning bolt hit him, and she'd been scolded but he accepted her help standing up and she watched the lazy smile on his face as he moved about her loft. The lazy 'I just had amazing sex' smile that made her want the same thing.

But that was two weeks ago, and she still wanted him to give her that damn smile, but thanks to their hectic schedule and her crazy family, they never really had a moment alone. And after the housewarming party...she wasn't sure if she should be furious with him or impressed.

The very next day, while she entered grades and handed students outlines and told stories, he was on the phone doing something very hush-hush. It wasn't until she got home that she found out what. Okay, the deadbolt and security system she'd been expecting, but she furniture and carpeting, not so much. It was all very artsy and ornate, straight from a Pier 1 add. Exotic dressers and mirrors and a carpet that was probably from Persia before it became anything else. The most amazing bed she'd ever seen took up the space across from the door and away from the windows. It was bigger than a king size and it lay in a four poster frame with cravings of foliage and old Celtic designs and loaded with pillows and blankets.

And best of all it was all in rich purples, deep reds and plums, and dark greens with a hint of gold here and there.

Okay, so truthfully she loved it. And she loved being the center of someones world and the sole focus of their attention. She loved that his friends -who shared the same immortality condition- had accepted her so easily. She loved when Amanda had fixed her alarm system to be more effective -though not Amanda proof- and started sharing embarrassing stories about 'Mac'. She loved being able to argue with Adam/Methos over Sumerian philosophy and learning a few extra languages she hadn't gotten to or gotten the hang of yet. She even liked Joe with his weirdo beard that grayed in stripes like a skunk.

"Mac won't do anything until he's sure it's the right thing to do," Methos commented one day. It was a holiday off from school that Buffy didn't know about, so at the moment the lot of them were in Joe's bar having a drink. "So be prepared to either jump him or wait until he asks you to marry his boyscout ass."

"I've already been making plans for the first," she complained, shooting Duncan a dirty look.

"And I already told you that your sister comes around too often."

"Hello? We could do it in you office at school? You have a prep period after all."

Methos was laughing heartily at the situation while Dawn continued to grumble. Duncan was right of course, her sister had a serious case of the mother hens even though she hadn't done much more than yell at Dawn during their entire Sunnyhell time. The subject moved on however thanks to a bit of quick intervening by Amanda mentioning some artifact or other she wanted to steal from the museum.

"Oh! I would not do that Amanda," Dawn told her seriously. "That thing has some seriously bad mojo on it and I like you."

"Bad mojo like how?" the woman asked, obviously not believing Dawn.

"Bad like if it's ever stolen from it's owner a demon will come out and crush your skull," Methos interjected. "Saw it happen once. Silas thought it would make a good trophy, tried to steal and kill instead of the other way around. Took him a whole week and a half to come back from that one."

"Whoa, like seriously and junk?" Dawn asked, not at all bothered by the older mans background.

Her philosophy on all of them was pretty much the same, she'd met worse, and they were all decent people who were trying -for the most part- to change.

"Yes, like seriously and junk," Methos laughed.

For the next few hours Dawn was exposed to these immortal pasts, laughing with them and offering sympathies, and she felt genuinely accepted by this group of friends. It wasn't like the Scoobies at all, where her life was threatened on a regular basis and not a single person tried to include her. Here, they were all straightforward and honest, they didn't try to hide their true nature and they didn't treat her like she was years too young to understand.

Granted, she was years too young, but they recognized her as an adult.

On the ride back to her place, she thought about all the positive things that had happened since she met Duncan in the cafe.

"So you're getting ready to jump me." Dawn giggled, before answering that yes, she was. "Well then, it's a good thing I got you a bigger bed isn't it?"

When Dawn woke up, it was to the smell of breakfast and the sound of the local news. She was happily exhausted and knew that if she hadn't been before, she was now completely ruined for any and all other men.

Grabbing some panties and a discarded sweater, she put the clothes on and made her way into the kitchen to grab a cup of coffee. She was so focused on the coffee -which he definitely knew how to make- that she failed to notice Giles sitting at her counter, trying not to stare in shock.

It took a few seconds for Dawn to actually process who sat in front of her, and when she did she let out a small squeak of surprise before grabbing a throw from the back of the couch.

"D-Giles, what are you doing here?"

"W-well, your sister was going to come to get you for a bit of research," he replied before cleaning his spot free glasses. "However, I convinced her that it would be a better idea if she stayed in with the girls while I fetched you. I can see I was right."

"Thank you Giles, uhm, would you mind excusing us while I get ready?"

"Of course not," the old librarian hastened out. "It was good to see you again Duncan, I hope the next time we meet it will be under more familial circumstances."

"Until then," Duncan nodded.

As Dawn got dressed, she started asking questions about how exactly Giles knew him. And how well did he know him.

"We met in Paris. I saved his neck from a crowd of vampires...he probably knows that I'm not human now, I do look the same."

As he spoke, Dawn looked through her dresser for a pair of jeans, a bra, and some socks. And by the time he was finished speaking, she was putting a pair of low, sling-back mules on. But she was keeping the sweater.

It took a few minutes, and a bit of a struggle to keep clothed, but eventually the two of them left her apartment, Duncan driving off in his car while Dawn got into Giles' mini cooper. She could practically hear the excited buzz going through the librarian's head, and with a sigh she told him to ask. Sure enough there was a load of questions barreling at her, from was she happy to were they using protection to when was Buffy going to find out.

"Duncan and I can't have children," Dawn smiled sadly. "But I am happy, very happy. And, I don't want Buffy to find out until she gets used to the idea of me and Duncan being together as coworkers."Then, after she gets comfortable with us dating, we'll break the news to her." It went without saying that if Duncan died before then they'd tell all.

"A decent plan, though she will be furious with us all for tryign to keep this from her."

"I know, but she can't rule over my life forever. I'm a legal adult now, I can make my own choices. She's not mom."


	7. Chapter 7

Somewhere around midnight, Buffy decided to take Dawn home. She needed to talk to her sister at least once this month, beyond what she'd done a few weeks ago. And she knew that Dawn was probably dating someone, because that was definitely not her sweater or one of Spike's or Giles' or even their dad's. And she'd heard about the car. The Aston Martin DB-whatever the heck It was, a car that no doubt belonged to someone with a lot of funds and a few years on their back.

"So, you liking your new place?" Buffy asked finally.

"Yeah. I found some pretty cool furniture nearby."

The slayer could hear the amusement in dawn's voice. Apparently the owner of the car -who was probably her professor- had seen fit to replace everything Dawn owned. The drive was full of an oppressive silence.

"So, how's school?"

"It's a lot of work," Dawn finally said. "But I like it. I've made some friends, and found a place to hang out with them. Dun-Professor MacLeod helps me out a lot and I sit in on his study sessions sometimes for help in history class."

And there it was. Dawn was dating her teacher. But if that was the truth then the two of them had to keep things quiet. For Dawn's sake and that of this MacLeod guy. Maybe, she'd just wait and see how things turned out. Maybe.

Buffy was impressed by the amount of money and time MacLeod had invested into Dawn, she remembered the horrible conditions of the apartment before and noticed that most if not all of them had been fixed. She noticed everything though, and she liked what she saw thus far.

Both of them jumped when they heard the lock jiggle however, and within seconds, Buffy had the intruder pinned against the wall. It was a woman with closely cropped brown hair and a slight build. Unfortunately she wasn't a slayer, though she did give off a funny sort of vibe.

"Amanda! Buffy let her go!"

"Oh hey! Just hat I need!" Amanda laughed cheerfully. "You remember that artifact you and Adam told me not to go grab, well, it's in my back pocket and now there's a crazy woman trying to kill me."

"I'm not crazy, or trying to kill you," Buffy defended, letting the woman go.

"Not you, her!"

The Summers sisters both turned around then, expecting the worst, but getting what was possibly the best thing they could have in their present situation.

"Anya?"

"Hello Buffy and Dawn," the demonic blonde smiled before approaching Amanda. "If you'll excuse me for destroying your things, I must punish the thief."

"thief...Wait! Anya stop!" Buffy cried, putting herself between the two of them. "If you keep from punishing...Amanda?...If you keep from punishing Amanda you'll stay in the world longer right?"

"Well I suppose so yes."

"Then why not let her go and spend you time with Xander?"

The blonde cocked her head in thought and nodded in approval. "I think I like that. Now hurry and take me to Xander that he might give me many orgasms."

"Uhm..alright, the car is downstairs." Buffy turned to her sister. "Dawn, I don't want you to be here with..." a thief.

"Amanda and me are cool. She just gets in a bit of trouble sometimes. We'll be fine."

Buffy didn't want to leave her sister with this thieving college friend of hers, but Anya was tapping her foot impatiently by the door, her demonic visage replaced by her human appearance.

It looked like that talk with Dawn was going to have to wait just a bit longer.

I tried really hard to write for Buffy. I really did. But she's just so...simple. Reveiws welcome, but please, no ideas. Otherwise I get distracted and can't write more.


	8. Chapter 8

Willow liked seeing Dawn happy.

And off of Valium.

Shamefully, she'd peek into the younger woman's medicine cabinet and had been surprised to find the pill bottle. It was in the back, and there was the very faintest layer of dust on the cap, meaning she hadn't taken them in a while. And while Willow wold have understood if they'd been left over from Joyce's death, these had been prescribed about a week after Dawn turned back into a human. Maybe things had just gotten to be too much for her, and while Willow didn't quite approve of taking medication's that dulled the emotions, it was better than cutting or taking illegal drugs or having meaningless sex to numb it all.

"Willow! Hurry up!" The witch put the bottle back into the cabinet and walked out of the bathroom. She'd agreed to watch the house while Dawn and Duncan went out to see a ballet. He really did spoil her.

Especially with what she was wearing right now. A formal gown of deep purple velvet and a white fur cloak set off the simple diamond necklace and earrings. As for Duncan he was wearing a tuxedo and a long opera jacket, his long hair pulled back into it's usual ponytail. They looked like a perfect couple right then going out on the perfect date to come home to a perfect apartment.

At least someone got their perfect, normal, little life.

The couple left, and Willow watched the expensive car roll out of it's parking spot before speeding down the city street. In this time, she thought about all the negative ways this could be taken. The most important being Dawn's relationship with not only her boss, but her teacher as well. If they'd been working at different schools, it would be a simple matter of age. She'd be seen as a trophy girlfriend who was sidling up to a rich older man. A gold-digger.

Not that there was anything wrong with that really, if Dawn's goal in life was to marry a rich old guy that was her prerogative.

The witch shook her head and moved over to the couch to watch TV. It was a nice TV, thirty-seven inch flat screen, mounted on the wall, it was definitely not the thing that Dawn had come into the apartment with. DVD player, Tivo, satellite box, movies and music, some of these objects Willow recognized, though others were either brought over by Duncan or bought between now and when they last went shopping together. Then again she might have just stolen them.

Not long ago one of Dawn's new friends had brought Anya back to them via theft. And willow was glad Anya was back with them, but if Dawn was falling into the wrong crowd again...

Willow shook her head of the thoughts. Now wasn't the time to think about that, now was the time to snoop! And snoop around Willow would! She snooped through every drawer and closet and dresser and cabinet; she found Dawn's clothes and Duncan's clothes and an emergency fund. She saw their toothpaste and their toothbrushes and hairbrush they shared, and she only noticed that because of the difference in strands.

But there was one thing she couldn't find.

Contraceptives. There wasn't a single kind in the entire house! No condoms or pills, birth control patches or rings. Was Dawn trying to get pregnant?! After grabbing a few hairs from the brush -for the sake of security and locater spells of course- Willow made sure everything was in it's place and settled down to watch some TV, eat some popcorn, and think about her quickly dying relationship with Kennedy.

Unfortunately, some movies aren't so great to try staying awake to, and Willow was woken up by someone shaking her shoulder gently. She opened her eyes to see Duncan looking at her with a bit of concern, like a father almost.

"Sorry, I fell asleep."

"That's alright, Dawn did too. Not until after dinner though, well, technically she fell asleep on the dance floor."

Willow heard a noise come from the bedroom and smiled, noticing that Duncan was looking back there was fondness and a loving smile.

"So, I trust you two are being careful?" He looked tat her with some shock. "After an incident a few years ago, T...my ex and I took Dawn in for awhile. Plus, I've always been there for Dawn when she needed it. Now you look old enough to man up and take responsibility, and trust me, you don't want to find out what I can do."

Duncan blinked a few times before smiling. "I never thought Id get that sort of talk ever again. But you can be assured that there will be no accidental births or pregnancies."

"Oh?" Willow asked. Pulling out was not a form of birth control, no matter how much a guy might claim it was.

"I'm unable to have children."

"Oh! I mean...oh, I'm sorry..." Now she felt horrible and she'd probably put him on the spot and oh god he was offended and Dawn...

"I've come to terms with it. But if Dawn wants children one day, she's free to do whatever she wants. No man could tame her, and I hope no one ever does."

Willow smiled again when she heard Dawn curse about something back in the bedroom, apparently her dress was trying to drown her.

"You should get back there and play lifeguard," willow smiled. "But remember, I'm watching, you hurt Dawn and you will beg for death."

"Alright dad," Duncan smiled, making Willow laugh at his comment.

"No, I think Giles is the closest Dawn's ever had to a dad. Although, he was really there for Buffy and Xander and me more...so Spike was probably the closest thing to a father figure she ever had." She shook her head and smiled again, before saying goodnight and walking down to her car. Well, at least now they didn't have to worry about Duncan using her to create hell spawn.

Although, just because Duncan couldn't have children didn't mean that Dawn's powers as the Key wouldn't pull a tricky and make some babies. She needed to research this.


	9. Chapter 9

Few things could shake someone as old as Methos. And only two things scared the hell out of him, the first being an angry woman and the second being his death. But now there were three things that scared him, and this third thing was sort of a combination of the two. The only thing that could and would make it worse, would be if he died by his own sword at the hands of an angry woman he hadn't even pissed off.

And wouldn't you know it, he was two thirds of the way there.

"Why did she lie to me?!"

Dawn was a wonderful girl, she really was. A living embodiment of a great mass of electricity that supposedly unlocked the gates between dimentions (with the proper ceremony of course), she was sharper than most girls her age and hadn't batted a lash when she found out everything. Then again, she was the baby sister to The Slayer. He remembered very faintly, being there when the first few slayers were made and he'd seen and killed his fair share of the wenches as they tried to take him down too.

But he didn't think he'd be able to kill this one. She was just too pretty, too alive, too much of a fighter. He really liked her.

Besides that Dawn might get upset if he killed her sister. And if she was unhappy Mac got broody, and when he got broody everyone was unhappy. An endless cycle.

"Why? She knows I only want to keep her safe and yet she continues to put herself into stupid situations!"

Now, it would be a good time to mention that methos had recently been granted a strange sort of boon by none other than Dawn, though none knew how or why he'd been given this gift. Until now at least. The gift was a bit more speed, a lot more strength, and for reasons unknown but wholly welcomed, The loss of his Buzz. It wasn't gone completely mind you, but it was very faint, and Amanda was able to sneak up on him several times. A few times he'd actually run into Duncan without noticing the man, probably because he spent the most time with Dawn. It was almost like she was removing them from the game. A few other bizarre things were happening, but the furious slayer before him was taking his mind away from that.

"Doesn't she know that not everyone is a good person!" Buffy attacked him again, intent on running him through.

She seemed to like that bit about him, fighting again and again until she felt better. But Methos was getting tired of a little woman stabbing him through the heart every five minutes and bashing his friend nonstop as she screamed about the stupidity of her sister. So Methos did the only thing he could think of, he used his new gift and pinned her to the floor. Oh, she did not like that one bit.

"Get off of me!"

"Not until you learn some manners young lady!" Methos shouted back, causing her to blink a bit in surprise. She was used to getting her way apparently. "Now you listen here, we all love Dawn very much. She's a very bright young woman and sister or not I don't like hearing you call her stupid."

"But-!"

"No," his voice was calm, but there was a hint of danger in there that seemed to catch her eyes on fire and cause her skin to heat up. It would figure he'd fall for a crazy. "Dawn has made a very good choice in Duncan, he's the bloody boyscout of the immortal world. And you were told before that we're just like humans, some of us are good and some of us are bad. We just have our own set of rules, laws, moral codes."

"...She's going to leave me," the blonde eventually staggerd out. "She can't leave me alone. Not her..."

Ah, so there was the core of the issue. Fear of being alone, well it made sense, every slayer he'd ever encountered was always alone in some manner or other, dying young and alone, usually killed by those she'd been sworn to protect or some beast that got lucky.

"Dawn is not going to leave anyone," Methos said finally, getting off of the blonde and moving to sit beside him. "She's smitten with Mac, and he's just as in love. You know, they've been walking on eggshells around you, afraid you'd react this way. And look, you did!"

"You're a shitty watcher," Buffy finally said. "You keep secrets and you make Slayers feel bad."

"No, I point out flaws and make Slayers focus on becoming better people and fighters. You're behaving like a child."

The two of them sat like that for some time, until Buffy asked, very politely given the circumstances, that he share about his past. He told her as much as he remembered and found out over the years. And even she admitted that it was a good many. Though, when he mentioned his moniker Death, she got a puzzled look on her face, a bit of surprise and dawning comprehension soon followed, and she releaxed a good deal around him. Even though she knew who and what he was, she seemed more at peace.

"I want, I want Dawn to be happy," Buffy finally said after some time. "But I don't want her to leave me. And, she lied to me, all we have left is trust and if something had happened..."

"Buffy, She couldn't trust you." the blonde looked at him in shock and confusion again. "She couldn't trust you not to go and cut off his head or start screaming and yelling...an killing me. It's not fun to die as I'm sure you know!"

She laughed then, long and hard until tears were coming from her eyes and Methos himself had joined her in laughter.

"Well then Mr. Death, wanna go up to the kitchen and grab some foodstuffs?"


	10. Chapter 10

"Tuesday."

Duncan was somewhat confused by the antsy, uncertain and unhappy feeling that surrounded the entire Castle Summers. He'd been told a few times about Tuesday's and the uncontrollable bad luck that happened every Tuesday, rain or shine Hell and high water. All of which had happened on Tuesday's for as long as anyone in the Slayer Branch could remember. And upon a bit of further reflection, he could admit that most of his problems had happened on Tuesday, not all of them, there were far too many, but definitely the ones he remembered best.

But every person in the castle was on their best behavior, walking on eggshells and keeping curses to a minimum. Monday night everything had been cleaned in a flurry and every mess and all the leftovers of every spell had been cleansed and every weapon purified and locked up. Everyone just sat quietly. Playing cards and eating only vegetables and being good. The beer was locked away and it was deathly quiet.

Two immortals sat in the living room with the Scoobies as they were called. Duncan next to Dawn, who was reading an old romance novel written in Turkish, wearing a modest skirt and his sweater. He hair was pulled up and her glasses sat on her nose. But she wasn't really reading, just sort of sitting with the book open.

And everything was going pretty well.

But it was a Tuesday, and every Tuesday, something bad happened.

"Aya namzaqu diĝir

"Shamash mūtānu igen su dug

"anguba ilu

"utud

"zu kešed erin duri

"Innana dambanda Nergal

"dikud niĝgig duri

"duri hili kar"

"duri hili kar"

Dawn opened her eyes and saw Duncan's panicked face instead of the pages of a book. She could hear loud voices and the lights hurt her eyes. Some people off to her right were arguing about meanings and Buffy's hand was holding an oxygen mask to her face. Lifting a lead arm, she tried to bat them all away, only to be held back and have more lights shined in her eyes and more people arguing over her.

"g'way," she finally managed to get out, her mouth drier than the Sahara and her tongue an uncomfortable mass of flesh. "m'ine. Shoo."

"She's alive!"

Who died? She couldn't have, that was just silly. But as her consciousness came back, so did the strangest set of memories. Memories of salt water and greatest beasts running rampant, of promiscuous warriors and drunken lords in stone halls. Fire and blood with beings she knew, and all the same didn't. Shadows and light and words and sounds assaulted her. And somehow, she knew that under all of this violence there was beauty. Lush gardens behind walls that kept the people safe from the death beyond. Beauty and life and joy. But the smells and whirring motions of those memories and the sounds must have made queasy. Because now she want to vomit.

"Dawn, can you hear me annasa?"

"Mmm, yes, I can hear everyone. They need to shut up," she grumbled, trying to sit up so she could go and vomit. Her sister wasn't having it and kept pushing her down. "Let me up."

"I don't think so," Buffy scoffed, lifting the mask away. "You were dead for an hour, then you started glowing and speaking, while dead, and then you went dead again and woke up."

"Then I'm gonna puke all over you and drown in it," Dawn breathed out before giving a violent heave. The was flipped onto her side as the liquid burbled out of her mouth, and that just didn't help.

"Buffy," Duncan said as his young love vomited a mixture of blood, water, and clumps of wet sand.

"I know. Giles, do we know what she was chanting?"

"W, well, Adam and I seem to have some conflicting views on the delicacies of the issue, primarily on-" He was cut off by Methos, who'd been in the middle of drinking his beer.

"I told you I know Sumerian like the back of my hand, why can't you trust me on this?"

"Well forgive me if I'd like a professional opinion on this."

"I was there when most of those stone tablets were written!"

"Children!" Buffy shouted at them, her voice dangerous and stopping both of the men. Duncan would have smiled had Dawn not started shivering and demanded to sit up. As he slowly helped the girl up, he noticed that she was listening quite closely to the general agreement of Dawn's prophecy.

"Right, well, the general translation is that of four gods coming to the earth and taking control."

"We have to fight more gods?" Buffy deadpanned.

"Aye, ancient Sumerian gods at that," Methos nodded. "God of the sun and his wife, goddess of war and love, and the god of death. I'm sure he's eager to see you."

"Oh, I'm so excited." Buffy sneered. "I hate Tuesdays."

"Unfortunately," Giles continued, "we have no time frame as to when this attack may happen, or any way to kill them."

Buffy could only hold her head in annoyance, things had been just fine a few minutes ago, now her slayer was the new messenger girl for the PTB and some crazy blood lusting idiots were about to enslave mankind. Standing she walked out of the room and onto the castle grounds. She needed some time to clear her head, think about what to do, plan a strategy. But planning that sort of thing was more Xander's deal and Willow always did the protection bit.

"Never met a god before."

Buffy whirled to see the oldest man in the world. How the hell did he always sneak up on her? But there he was with a beer, walking barefoot on the stone pathway that led through the garden. Crazy man, if he'd been anyone else he'd be getting sick.

"Not that amazing," Buffy shrugged. "Well, not the hell gods at least. Pain in the ass really, with tacky fashion sense." The man let loose a laugh, a bit infectious and definitely fitting.

"I'll take your word for it. We should head back in the house, it's going to rain in a second."

Back in the house, Duncan was helping Dawn clean up in the bathroom. She looked a mess, her rosy skin was sallow and oily, sweat dripping down her form in streams. She looked a right wreck, and when she died, he'd never felt so furious in his life. Yes, he was furious that she'd been taken from him and that thought grieved him very nearly enough to cut off his on head or give it to Methos. But she started speaking and returned to him.

He still worried though. What was he supposed to do with all of this? How was he supposed to react? There really wasn't much he could do right now he supposed, but he'd like to at least try doing something.

"Duncan, take me home." Dawn's voice was so small and pitiful that he couldn't make himself disobey her if he wanted to.

"Of course," he nodded, gathering her up in his arms.

On his way out, he was confronted a few times by Giles and Willow, both trying to convince him that Dawn needed to stay in the castle while they worked things out, while they tried to make sure she'd be safe. But Methos interfered with a bit of logic and convinced them that Dawn was perhaps the least likely to get hurt. And by then everyone was back in the room arguing and asking just why he was so sure of that.

"Take it from an old barbarian," he said finally, his voice gaining a certain murderous quality. "Anyone who wants to rule the world is going to keep around the oracles. Oracles are a heads up, good gifts to hand out and keep the people appeased. If you let the oracle keep her guardian, she's stays happy, subservient. If you kill her family, she rebels, threatens to kill herself, hides the future."

"I'm going to agree with him," Buffy finally said. "But I want you to call if she so much as gets a fever, you hear me old man?"

"I call only after she's stable. She's a higher priority than you."

Normally this would have made Buffy furious, but for once she agreed. She had hated Duncan when she found out about her sister and him, but right now she was thankful that someone would drop everything and take control of the situation. Take over where she couldn't and give Dawn the attention she needed while the Slayer crew worked out this riddle. Those were her thoughts as she watched Duncan put her baby sister in the car and drive away, his normal speed -bordering on death defying- greatly reduced to just below sane standards.

"Alright everyone, lets do some research!"

Methos stayed behind, lending his own take on everything and correcting "retarded mistakes" that younger people made when it came to translation and planning. And Duncan was okay with that. Now wasn't the time to make sure his people stayed away from dawn's people, when their combined efforts could save the world. And right then he realized that everyone was right, he was the boyscout of the immortal world.

But right now he didn't care to much about the world. Right now he cared about Dawn getting better and being able to live through the night. She couldn't keep water down even, vomiting as soon as the car stopped -and a few places en route- in front of her apartment. And they'd taken the stairs very slowly, eventually rushing into the bathroom so she could once again release the odd mixture of blood, water, and sand. But he had to keep her hydrated, and so he forced as much water into her as she could keep down. He didn't bother trying to make her eat, because that would be a wasted effort. He didn't leave her side once during the night, keeping two fingers on her pulse while he wiped her brow of the sweat and fever.

Somewhere around one in the morning her fever broke and she was well enough for him to leave her for a few seconds for a sandwich and a bathroom break. He did wash his hands thank you very much! And as he ate and watched the steady rise and fall of her chest, he remembered Buffy wanting a phone call.

But Dawn didn't need that. She needed rest, and even if it was the last thing he did, by god she was going to get that rest!


End file.
